I woke up the next morning to bright lights streaming through the curtains, which made my head pound even more from all the crying the night before. I looked over to where Dally should have been, but his side of the bed was empty.
Sighing, I got up and put on the outfit from last night before laying back down, waiting for Dally to come back to his room. Then I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, Dally was gently shaking me awake.
"Dally?" I murmured groggily as I stretched and sat up.
"Yeah, Rachel. We need to talk," Dally said seriously.
"Okay," I replied, sitting up in bed and instantly becoming awake.
Silence descended. As I watched, Dally begin to pace from across the room. I felt dread begin to fill me up, but I just kept repeating to myself 'he wasn't willing to lose me yet'.
"I called the Curtises and told them you were with me. You're gonna have to explain to them what you've been up to," Dally said, looking over at me as he stopped pacing momentarily.
"Okay," I said, nodding lightly. I really didn't want to explain to anyone what I'd been up to, but I knew I had to.
I waited as patiently as I could for Dally to continue—he obviously had something he wanted to say. I was just worried what that something would be. It couldn't be anything that bad, since we'd talked last night.
"Look, kid, Darry thinks we should have some space from each other for a while," Dally admitted finally.
Instantly a thousand different thoughts and feelings raced through my mind and I had no idea what to say. "No. He can't do that," was eventually what I came up with.
"Rachel—" Dally tried, but I cut him off.
"No! He can't do that; who does he think he is?" I shouted, standing up and beginning to pace.
"Rachel," Dally tried again, but I didn't listen to him. I was so angry at what Darry was trying to do.
"He thinks he can control us?" I said, flinging my arms out forcefully. I hit the edge of the open door and cried out in pain, clutching my hand to my chest. The haze of anger started to fade as the pain from my hand filled my mind.
Dally reached me in two strides. Placing his hands on my upper arms, he steered me backwards until the back of my legs hit the bed and I automatically sat, before he reached for my hand and began checking it for damage. I sat there on the bed watching him, and I could still feel the butterflies that he had always caused fluttering in my stomach.
"Dally, he can't keep us apart. I won't let him. I'll sneak out or something—I won't let him keep us apart—"
"Rachel…I agree with him," Dally said quietly. I flinched back, ripping my hand from his. The throbbing returned instantly, but I ignored it in favor of just staring at Dally, feeling utterly betrayed.
"How can you agree with him?" I asked, tears stinging my eyes. "You said last night you weren't willing to lose me yet! Were you lying? How could you…" I trailed off as sobs finally overwhelmed me and I gave in, collapsing down onto my knees still cradling my hand to my chest.
"Rachel, listen to me," Dally said, kneeling down in front of me.
I nodded through my tears and looked up at him.
"I wasn't lying last night when I said that. I'm not ready to give you up," Dally said. Hope filled me. "But I think this all happened to fast for you," he finished gently.
"Wha..What do you mean?" I asked, stumbling over my words.
"Rachel, your life has flipped so much in the past few months. With your Grandma dying—" I flinched— "And starting to live with the Curtises I think it's all…too fast. You've lost yourself and you need to find you again," Dally explained.
"I haven't lost myself!" I tried to argue as I thought back on the last few months—
Living with the Curtises…Meeting all their friends…Going out in public…
Meeting Dally…Falling for Dally…Kissing Dally…
Dressing different…Learning to fight…Lying to the Curtis's…Sneaking out…
Not talking with Soda, my best friend…
Worst of all losing my Grandma, the one constant in life…
"Rachel?" Dally said, grabbing my attention. "I fell for the girl who was so shy she could barely speak, who blushed at bad language, who dressed like a nun, who didn't lie, and was so unsure of the outside world it made me smile. I fell for her and you lost her, but I still want you because you're you. But you need to find yourself and decide what you want. Find who you want to be, not who you think I'll want," Dally said softly as he gently stroked my cheek before pulling me from the bed and gathering me into a hug.
We sat there on the floor for what felt like forever, Dally holding me and letting me cry into his chest.
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So I had change the direction I put up last chapter and for the longest time I couldn't figure out how to do it! Sorry it took forever! Please read and review!